Wall clock



Oct. 29, 1940- o. CECCARELLI WALL cLpcK Filed A rii 6, 1939 Patented Oct. 29, 1940 PATENT OFFICE WALL CLOCK Ostilio Ciccarelli, Bristol, Conn, assignor to The E. lngraham Company, Bristol, Conm, a, corporation of Connecticut Application April 6, 1939, Serial No. 266,310

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in wall clocks, and particularly to that type of wall-clock structure having supporting-means especially constructed and arranged and organized therewith for supporting wall clocks adjacent to walls and, preferably, substantially fiat against walls.

One of the objects of the present invention is to secure wall clocks of superior construction and ill organization, in which strain in a device projected from a wall to hold a clock, and in supportingmeans engaging the holding-device and secured to and forming part of a wall clock, is minimized; whereby marring or breaking-out of a Wall under pull on the holding-device, and loosening of the said supporting-means with respect to the clock, are substantially avoided, to provide dependable and safe support for a clock on a wall at the customary substantial height above the floor level. 20 A further object of the present invention is to provide improved wall clocks having a structure of superior supporting-stability for supporting a clock on a wall in stationary or motionless relation thereto, to substantially eliminate tilt- 25 ing of a clock about a holding-device therefor projecting from a wall, and to eliminate or minimize shimmying of a clock with respect to a wall, and knocking of a clock against a wall, because of vibrations that may be set up in a clock, par- 30 ticularly an electric clock, or because of vibrations occurring in a wall, or like causes.

Another object of this invention is to secure improved wall clocks in which supporting-means for supporting a clock on a wall is organized in 35 nested relation to the clock-structure, and is substantially enclosed and shielded by the said clock-structure, to provide for supporting the clock on, and substantially flat against, a wall, and to further provide effective protection of n the supporting-means against damage, and also to substantially avoid possible dislodging of the clock from the wall.

Still another object of this invention is to secure improved wall clocks, as described, and hav- 45 ing a supporting-structure therefor arranged in substantially enclosed relation and concealed from view, superior construction and arrangement of the said supporting-structure, whereby wall clocks may be readily, conveniently and 60 securely brought into position and supported on Walls.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide wall clocks of superior construction and arrangement, for which supporting-means to of improved nature may be easily produced and secured in place with respect to the clock-structure and, therefore, at low cost; the said construction and arrangement, particularly of the said supporting-structure, providing a compact and sturdy organization, whereby wall clocks may 5 be reliably supported on walls at substantial heights above floor levels, and also present desirably good appearance in place on walls.

With the above and other objects in View, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the 10 present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any separate application.

In the accompanying drawing, in which cer- 16 tain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. l is a rear View in elevation of a wall clock and shows the clock-supporting structure of the present invention organized therewith; 20

Fig. 2 is a vertical central-longitudinal sectional viev, partly in elevation, of a Wall clock of improved construction and arrangement, and the supporting-means forming part thereof, the said clock being shown engaged with a holding-screw and supported against a wall, these last two being indicated in broken lines; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the drop-support of the improved supporting-structure.

The wall clock shown, and generally designated by the reference character I0, is merely typical of wall clocks in which the invention to be described herein, may be embodied. For example, the present invention may be embodied to particular advantage in electric-motor-propelled wall clocks, or it may be usefully adapted to springdriven wall clocks, and the said present invention may be used for wall clocks of either of the said types, which are of any preferred design or configuration.

In the example illustrated the wall clock Hi includes an outer enclosing-casing H, which supports. a bezel l2 on the front face thereof, the said bezel, in turn, carrying a crystal l3 therein. The bezel l2 and the crystal !3 form no part of the present invention and, as will be understood, hands or pointers, which may be of usual form, are arranged behind the said crystal on a conventional arbor, to turn about a regulation dial, these last named parts also forming no part of the present invention and not being shown herein.

The said enclosing-casing H is shown generally square-shaped and, in the improved construction and arrangement of wall clocks of this invention, the said enclosing-casing is provided with a circular opening I3, which extends there-i through and which includes an enlarged circular rear-recess I5. The wall of the casing I I, defining the said opening I4 and its enlarged rearrecess I5, comprises a relatively-thick body-portion I6, and a relatively thin tail-portion II, the last enclosing the said rear-recess E5 of the said. opening. The said casing II also includes an annular shoulder-portion I8 between the said relatively-thick body-portion I5 and the said relatively-thin tail-portion I I, which shoulderportion forms the forward end-wall of the said rear-recess I5 and also provides a bearing-wall, as will hereinafter appear.

Mounted in the said opening I4 is a clockmovement, generally designated by the reference character I9. As is shown particularly Well in Fig. 2, the clock-movement I9 includes a cupshaped housing 23 and also includes a backmounting-plate 2|. Within the said housing 20 and forwardly of the back-mounting-plate 2|, the operating parts of the said clock movement are arranged. The said operating parts comprise a gear-train of any desired arrangement and, in the case of electric clocks, also include a motor for driving the said gear-train. In Fig. 2, referred to above, part of the housing 23 is broken away to show certain of the said operating parts of the clock-movement I9. The movement housed within the housing 253 is supported at the rear thereof by pillars or screws 22 which, as shown, pass through the rear wall of the said housing and the mounting-plate 2| and are provided at the outside thereof, with securing-means, such as nuts 23.

In the preferred form of the invention, and as is also especially well shown in Fig. 2, the clockmovement I9 is mounted in the opening It between the front end thereof and the inner end of the rear-recess I5 of the said opening. As shown, the back-mounting-plate 2| of the said clock-movement closes the said opening It at the entrance of the said opening into its rear-recess I5. Preferably, the said back-mounting-plate is provided with a central body-portion 24, located in the opening I4, an integral offset-portion 25 inclined rearwardly with respect to the central body-portion 24, and an integral annular flange 26. The said integral annular flange 26 is spaced by the said offset-portion 25 rearwardly of the central body-portion 24 of the mounting-plate 2 I, and extends into the enlarged rear-recess I5 of the opening I3, and bears against the shoulderportion I8 of the casing II, forming the forward end-wall of the said rear-recess, to support the clock-movement I9 in place in the said casing.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of an improved supporting-structure, which is organized with the wall clock III for securing the said clock in place on a wall. As is contemplated herein, the above-described back-mounting-plate 2| also functions as part of the said supporting-structure and carries and supports means that are constructed and arranged to be brought down and about, and to receive and engage, a holding-device projecting from a wall. By way of expressing this last-named feature of the supporting-structure, the means whereby it is secured is termed herein a drop-support, which is generally designated by the reference character 27 and will now be more particularly described.

Essentially, the said drop-support 21, which is organized with the mounting-plate 2| in a manner to be presently described, includes several integral portions, which respectively secure particular purposes of the functions of the clock-supporting structure of the present invention. As is especially well shown in Fig. 3, one of the said portions of the drop-support 21 is a mounting-strap 28. The mounting-strap 28 provides means for securing the drop-support 21 in place on the mounting-plate 2|, and the said mounting-strap preferably includes a heel-portion 29, an intermediate co-operating oifset-portion 30 and an upper-portion 3|. The drop-support 21, as shown, also includes an integral extension-portion 32, and an integral attaching-clip or attaching-hook 33. The said integral extension-portion 32 extends rearwardly from the mounting-strap 28 of the drop support and acts to rigidly support the said attaching-hook 33 in spaced relation to the said mounting-strap. In turn, the integral attaching-hook 33 depends from the said ext-ension-portion 32, and the particular function of the said attaching-hook 33 is to receive and engage holding-means projecting from a wall, as will more fully appear hereinafter.

Referring now to the preferred relative arrangements of the structure of the wall clock I0, and particularly the supporting-structure thereof, these aspects of the present invention are particularly well shown in Fig. 2, in which the supporting-structure is shown in its organized relationship to the wall clock I0, and engaging a holding-screw 3 2 (shown in broken lines) projecting from a wall 35 (also shown in broken lines) to support the clock I I] in place on a wall.

As shown, the mounting-strap 28 engages the outer surface of the mounting-plate 2|, which is spaced inwardly of the rear end of opening I4 in the casing. Preferably, the mounting-strap 28 is arranged within the said opening on the mounting-plate 2| above the aXis of the said mountingplate, and extends vertically upward thereon. In this arrangement, the heel-portion 29 of the mounting-strap engages with the central bodyportion 24 of the mounting-plate in the opening I4, the intermediate co-operating offset-portion 30 engages with the offset-portion 25 of the mounting-plate 2|, and the upper-portion 3| of the mounting-strap 28 engages with the annular flange 26 of the mounting-plate in the rear-recess I5 of the opening I4, and the said upper-portion 3| has its upper end located at the perimeter of the mounting-plate 2|. In this position, the mounting-strap 28 is rigidly united with the mounting-plate 2|, as by welding, soldering or brazing, or, if desired, by riveting. Preferably, and as shown, the mounting-strap 28 is rigidly secured to the mounting-plate 2|, as by solder 33.

At the upper end of the said mounting-strap 28, the drop-support 21 is provided with a curved-portion 31 from which the said integral extension-portion 32 projects. This extensionportion 32 is arranged to extend substantially perpendicularly with respect to the verticallyextending mounting-strap 28, and it projects rearwardly therefrom in the rear-recess I5 adjacent to and preferably engaged by the said tail-portion I1 of the enclosing-casing Preferably, too, the said extension-portion 32 is formed to correspond substantially in length to the length of the said tail-portion I1, and at the rear end of the said'extension-portion, located at the rear end of the said recess I5, the said drop-support 2'I is provided with a bend 38 from which thesaid integral attaching-hook 33 depends.

The said attaching-hook 33 is constructed and Gil arranged to be brought down and about, to receive and engage, holding-means, such as the holding-screw 34 projecting from a wall as, for example, the wall 35. For this purpose the said attaching-hook 33 is spaced rearwardly of the said mounting-strap 28 by the said extensionportion 32. The said extension-portion rigidly supports the attaching-hook 33, and it is reinforced by the overlying tail-portion ll of the casing, and the said attaching-hook 33 depends from the said extension-portion 32, in substantial parallelism with the said mounting-strap 28, and within the said rear-recess l5, terminating therein substantially above the axis of the mounting-plate 2| on which the drop-support 21 is secured.

The said drop-support 21 is thus arranged in shielded and protected relation within the said rear-recess E5 of the clock-structure, and its attaching-hook 33 is provided with a receivingrecess 39 and flanking engaging-jaws ill-40, for receiving and engaging with holding-means, such as the holding-screw 34.

As is shown particularly well in Fig. 3, the said receiving-recess 39 opens downwardly and outwardly of the said attaching-hook 33 and extends upwardly therein, terminating in the upper part of the said attaching-hook. The spaced engaging-jaws i843 flank the said receiving-recess 39, and are integrally united about the upper terminal of the said receving-recess in the said upper part of the attaching-hook 33.

Preferably, the adjacent side-edges 45-4! of the said flanking engaging-jaws 4El40 are tapered along the lower portions thereof to provide guide-edges 4242, whereby the said receiving-recess 33 is provided with a flared-mouth 43. The said flared-mouth 43 provides wide unhampered entrance for a holding-device, such as the holding-screw 34. The tapered guide-edges 4242 act to guide the attaching-hook 33 to bring the said holding-screw through the said flared-mouth and into a relatively-narrow portion of said receiving-recess 39. In the said relatively-narrow portion of the receiving-recess 39, the holding-screw 34 is engaged by the adjacent side-edges M4l of the flanking engaging-jaws 4-3-40, of said attaching-hook 33, to securely and reliably hold the wall clock in place and, in the preferred arrangement, the drop-support 2l,-nested in the rear-recess l5 and shielded by the enclosing-casing H, acts to support the clock H3 substantially flat against the wall 35.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways thanthose herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A wall clock including in combination: a casing having an opening therethrough; a clock-movement mounted in the opening and surrounded longitudinally thereof by said casing; and supporting-structure including a backmounting-plate for said clockmovernent,and also including a substantially-rigid drop-support; the said drop-support including a mounting-strap extending vertically along said mounting-plate above the horizontal axis thereof and rigidly united therewith; and the said drop-support being turned at the upper end of said mounting-strap to provide an integral extension-portion projecting rearwardly and substantially perpendicularly to said mounting-strap; said drop-support also being bent at the rear-end of said extension-portion to provide an integral attaching-hook depending from and rigidly supported by said extensionportic-n; the said attaching-hook depending in rearwardly-spaced relation to and in substantial parallelism with said mounting-strap and terminating above the said horizontal axis of said mounting-plate; and said attaching-hook being provided with a downwardly-opening receivingrecess flanked by engaging-jaws; whereby said attaching-hook may be brought down and about a holding-device projecting from a wall, said receiving-recess providing entrance for holding-device and said flanking engaging-jaws fitting about said holding-device to securely support said clock adjacent said wall.

2. A wall clock including in combination: a casing having an opening therethrough; a cl0ckmovement mounted in the opening and sur rounded longitudinally thereof by said casing; and supporting-structure including a backrnounting-plate for said clock-movement spaced inwardly of the rear end of said opening; said supporting-structure also including a substantially-rigid drop-supp0rt; the said drop-support including a mounting-strap extending vertically along said mounting-plate above the horizontal axis thereof and rigidly united therewith within the said opening; and the said drop-support being turned at one end of said mounting-strap to provide an integral extension-portion projecting rearwardly in said opening and substantially perpendicularly to said mounting-strap; said drop-support also being bent at the rear-end of said extension-portion to provide an integral attaching-hook depending from and rigidly supported by said extension-portion, the said attaching-hook depending in rearwardly-spaced relation to and terminating above the said horizontal axis of said mounting-plate; and said attaching-ho being provided with a downwardly-opening receiving-recess flanked by engaging-jaws; whereby said attaching-hook may be brought down and about a holding-device projecting from a wall, said receiving-recess providing entrance for said holding-device and said flanking engaging-jaws fltting about said holding-device to securely support said clock adjacent said wall.

3. A wall clock including in combination: a casing having an opening extending therethrough; a clock-movement mounted in the opening and surrounded longitudinally thereof by said casing; and supporting-structure including a back-mounting-plate for said clock-movement, spaced inwardly of the rear-end of said opening; said supporting-structure also including a substantially-rigid drop-support; the said drop-support including a mounting-strap extending vertically along said mounting-plate above the horizontal axis thereof and rigidly united therewith within said opening; the upper end of said mounting-strap being located at the perimeter of said mounting-plate and being turned thereat to provide an integral extension-portion, the said extension-portion projecting substantially perpendicularly to said mounting-strap and rearwardly in said opening adjacent the top-portion of the wall thereof; the said drop-support also being bent at the rear-end of said extension-portion to provide an integral attaching-hook depending from and rigidly supported by said extensionportion; the said attaching-hook depending in rearwardly-spaced relation to and in substantial parallelism with said mounting-strap and terminating above the said horizontal axis of said mounting-plate; and said attaching-hook being provided with a downwardly-opening receivingrecess flanked by engaging-jaws; whereby said attaching-hook may be brought down and about a holding-device projecting from a wall, said receiving-recess providing entrance for said holding-device and said flanking engaging-jaws fitting about said holding-device to securely support said clock adjacent said wall.

4. A wall clock including in combination: a casing having an opening extending therethrough; a clock-movement mounted in the opening and surrounded longitudinally thereof by said casing; and supporting-structure comprising a shielded drop-support substantially arranged in said opening; said drop-support including a mounting-portion secured to a portion of the said wall clock at the rear thereof, and also including an attaching-hook depending substantially within said opening in rearwardly spaced relation to said clock-movement and terminating above the horizontal axis thereof; the said attaching-hook including a verticallyextending receiving-recess opening downwardly thereof and also including spaced engaging-jaws flanking said receiving-recess; the lower portions of adjacent side-edges of the flanking engaging-jaws being tapered, to provide guide-edges, and to also provide a flared-mouth for said receiving-recess; whereby said attaching-hook may be brought down and about a holding-device projecting from a wall, said flared-mouth and guide-edges providing wide and guided entrance for said holdingdevice into a relatively-narrow portion of said receiving-recess for engagement with said engaging-jaws.

5. A wall clock including in combination: a casing having an opening extending therethrough; a clock-movement mounted in the opening and surrounded longitudinally thereof by said casing; and supporting-structure including a back-mounting-plate for said clock-movement, spaced inwardly of the rear-end of the opening in the said casing; said supporting-structure also including a shielded substantially-rigid drop-support substantially arranged within the opening in the casing; the said drop-support including a mounting-strap extending vertically along said mounting-plate above the horizontal axis thereof and rigidly united therewith within the opening in the said casing; the upper end of said mounting-strap being located at the perimeter of said mounting-plate and being turned thereat to provide an integral extension-portion; the said extension-portion projecting substantially perpendicularly to said mounting-strap and rearwardly in the opening in the said casing adjacent the top-portion of the Wall thereof, and the said extension-portion having its rear-end terminating at the rear-end of the opening in the said casing; the said drop-support also being bent at the said rear-end of said extension-portion to provide an integral attaching-hook depending from and rigidly supported by said extensionportion; the said attaching-hook depending substantially within the opening in the said casing in rearwardly spaced relation to and in substantial parallelism with said mounting-strap and terminating above the said horizontal axis of said mounting-plate; and said attaching-hook being provided with a downwardly-opening receivingrecess flanked by engaging-jaws; whereby said shielded drop-support may be brought down to position its attaching-hook about a holding-device projecting from a wall, said receiving-recess providing entrance for said holding-device and said flanking engaging-jaws fitting about said holding-device to securely support said wall clock substantially-flat against said wall.

6. A wall clock including in combination: a casing having an opening extending therethrough; a clock-movement mounted in the opening and surrounded longitudinally thereof by said casing; and supporting-structure including a back-mounting-plate for said clock-movement spaced inwardly of the rear-end of said opening; said supporting-structure also including a substantially-rigid drop-support; the said drop-support including a mounting-strap extending vertically along said mounting-plate above the horizontal axis thereof and rigidly united therewith within said opening; and the upper end of said mounting-strap being located at the perimeter of said mounting-plate and being turned thereat to provide an integral extension-portion; the said extension-portion projecting substantially, perpendicularly to said mounting-strap and rearwardly in said opening adjacent the top-portion of the wall thereof; the said drop-support also being bent at the rear-end of said extension-portion to provide an integral attaching-hook depending from and rigidly supported by said extension-portion, the said attaching-hook depending in rearwardly spaced relation to and in substantial parallelism with said mounting-strap, and terminating above the said horizontal axis of said mounting-plate; the said attaching-hook including a vertically-extending receiving-recess opening downwardly thereof, and also including spaced engaging-jaws flanking said receivingrecess; the lower portions of adjacent side-edges of the flanking engaging-jaws being tapered, to provide guide-edges and to also provide a flaredmouth for said receiving-recess; whereas said attaching-hook may be brought down and about a holding-device projecting from a wall, said flared-mouth and guide-edges providing wide and guided entrance for said holding-device into a relatively-narrow portion of said receiving-recess for engagement with said engaging-jaws.

OSTILIO CICCAREILI. 

